Drivers ignore road closed signs during major weather event on the Northern Rivers

"While I was standing beside a road closed sign to take this picture, two motorists ignored it and drove on by".

Binna Burra Road closed

Two motorists, in the space of a few minutes, drove flagrantly by and ignored this road closed sign on Binna Burra Road, where it intersects with Bangalow Road in Byron Shire.

At the time this picture was taken and this story was written, Binna Burra Road was officially listed as closed on the Myroadinfo site.

I want to highlight that the car parked at the back of the sign was not one of them. It was most likely there to add a little deterrent value.

I was standing beside the road closed sign, taking pictures for our online coverage of this ongoing weather event on the Northern Rivers, when one vanpacker and then another passenger vehicle, drove past the sign and onto Bangalow Road.

 

Binna Burra Road as floodwaters lap the roadside.

 

Now, last time I checked, road closed signs meant the road ahead was indeed, closed, and drivers should therefore turn around and find another route.

Admittedly, there was no water across the road at the time, and it looked pretty safe, but that's not the point, is it?

Drivers don't get to make arbitrary decisions as they have no idea of what the condition of the road ahead is like or whether around the next bend it might be covered in floodwaters.

Perhaps this kind of mentality gives some insight into why the local SES have performed four flood rescues in the past 24 hours.